


Made of Stone

by MelpomeneTears



Category: Awakenings, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-15
Updated: 2010-09-15
Packaged: 2017-10-11 20:40:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/116876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelpomeneTears/pseuds/MelpomeneTears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alistair is in Highever working on Duncan's Monument when he gets some terrible news.  This was originally written for the DA Kmeme</p>
            </blockquote>





	Made of Stone

Alistair climbed out of the tub and dried himself off. He slid into the bed, grateful for the quiet. He was so glad Fergus Cousland had offered to let him stay at Highever Castle while he was helping the workmen with Duncan's monument.

It had never occurred to him that this would be such an ordeal. They had detailed drafts as well as a portrait to work from but apparently it wasn't enough. So, for now he was stuck in Highever trying to get it completed properly.

As the weeks stretched on he found his patience waning. He missed his wife, the letters had helped, but it had been nearly a month since one had arrived. If he had been there for any other reason he would have given up and gone to the Keep.

Alistair rolled over and curled his arm under his head. He closed his eyes, falling asleep almost immediately. He was completely exhausted. He dreamed again of that day in Ostagar.

Marethari had been surprised at their choice of location. She kept reminding them of all the other beautiful places in the Hinterlands. But they wanted to get married where their journey had started. They replaced a horrible memory with a wonderful one.

He saw her in her simple blue linen dress, silver hair loose and tucked behind one pointed ear with a blue flower. And then the drums had played. Wait drums?

"Alistair, please you have to wake up." Fergus was pounding on the door and yelling as loud as he could. He really didn't want to tell Alistair the gossip his sister had returned with tonight. But the man had a right to know.

Fergus heard a mumbled response and ceased his pounding. A moment later Alistair ripped open the door, standing bleary eyed in his trousers. "Whaa?" He mumbled, yawning.

"Elissa just came to see me. She was entertaining some noblewomen. They were gossiping and Elissa mentioned you were staying here. When the hens all became quiet at once Elissa pressed them."

"Fergus, get to the point, I am very tired." He hoped he didn't sound to curt, but he really was exhausted.

"They said she was dead." Fergus stopped taking a few deep breaths; he couldn't believe the Hero of Ferelden was dead. He watched as Alistair's face drained of color.

"Who's dead?" He asked carefully.

Fergus bowed his head. "Your wife. The Keep was attacked and they say she didn't survive. That she saved the Keep, but didn't make it. They said…"

"Get me a horse." Alistair shouted, turning back inside the room to put his armor on. "I'm leaving immediately. I can pay you for the horse."

Fergus nodded. "It will be ready, don't worry about it."

Alistair nodded not looking back as Fergus walked away. Ten minutes later he was in the courtyard climbing onto a blue roan mare. Fergus handed him a bundle of food before Alistair took off at a full gallop. He only stopped to let the horse get water and rest, not wanting to kill the horse.

He reached the Keep in the middle of the night, two days later. His hair was plastered to his head and he was soaked through to the skin, it had been raining for hours. He rushed through the gate and jumped off the horse.

He barely noticed the damage to the Keep. He ran towards the door and was stopped by a guard. "Let me in I need to see my wife."

"Ser you can't go in there. The Keep belongs to the Wardens now and it's the middle of the night." He held a hand against Alistair's shoulder, trying to hold him back.

"I'm a Warden and I need to see my wife, NOW." He bellowed at the guard jerking out of his grasp.

The guard stepped between him and the doors. "You're going to need to leave ser. You can try to come back tomorrow." Alistair huffed and went to move around the guard. The guard grabbed his arm again trying to hold him back.

Alistair snarled yanking his arm away and shoved the guard out of his way. The guard shouted in surprise and went after Alistair again. He caught Alistair as he had reached the door and yanked it open. Alistair had had enough; he decked the man, knocking him to the ground before he ran into the Keep.

"Laresa! Laresa!" He shouted running up the stairs, deciding that would be where the bedrooms would be located.

Sigrun came running out of her room to see who was screaming. "Hey, how did you get in here?"

Alistair ignored her and kept moving down the hallway yelling for his wife. A tall blonde man came walking out of another room. Alistair ignored him as well, moving further down the hallway.

Anders looked at Sigrun. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, I think it's a wandering drunk, he looks a mess. Or maybe he's mad. Try to sober him up."

Anders nodded and started after Alistair. As he got close he let the spell start gathering at his fingertips. Then he was on the floor. He blinked a couple times before yelling "Templar!"

Sigrun took off at a dead run following Alistair. As she turned the corner at the end of the hall she almost ran into a door as it swung open. "Oghren!" She yelled as the dwarf came out of his room carrying his axe. "Help me, there's a lyrium addled Templar in the Keep." She pointed towards Alistair's back.

Oghren ran a few steps before yelling. "Hey, Pike twirler. Aren't you supposed to be in Highever?"

Sigrun froze in her tracks, eyes wide, and looked at Oghren. "You know this lunatic?"

"Aye, he's the Commander's husband, and the most senior Warden in Ferelden." Oghren walked forward a few steps as Alistair ran back towards him.

"Where is she Oghren?" Alistair had red blotches high on his cheekbones, his breaths were hitched and his eyes looked panicky. His mind had been racing for days telling him that she could not be dead she was too strong for that. But another voice told him that she had been taken away because he was never meant to have a family or have happiness. That second voice got louder as the hours on the road had stretched on.

"What's going on son? What's wrong?" Oghren was fighting to focus though the haze of sleep and ale.

Alistair's voice cracked. "They…" His breath hitched again. "They said she was dead." He took a deep breath trying to calm himself as Oghren looked at him like he was indeed lyrium addled. "Elissa Cousland heard that Laresa had died here at the Keep when it was attacked. What's going on?"

Oghren opened his mouth to respond but before he could they heard. "I'm fine my love." Alistair whirled away from Oghren and towards the voice.

"Oh, Maker. Laresa!" Alistair ran towards her, relieved tears sliding down his face. He grabbed her, pulling her close and kissing her desperately. She let out a squeak when he tried to pull her closer. And he quickly let her go. "I'm sorry!" He looked at her in her thin chemise. "I must have been crushing you."

Laresa reached up and stroked his cheek, looking into eyes still shining with tears. She bit her lip "That must have been so terrible."

"Is everything alright then?" Sigrun asked sounding shocked and confused.

Laresa looked around Alistair and nodded. Oghren shuffled back into his room, already half asleep again. Sigrun helped Anders back to his room. Then she went down the stairs to check on the guard since he had not come in with Alistair, or since.

Laresa grabbed Alistair's gauntleted hand and pulled him towards her room. Alistair looked relieved and lost at the same time as he followed her. She closed the door behind them and turned back to Alistair.

"I'm not going back to Highever. I thought I had lost you. I am supposed to be here, by your side to protect you." He looked miserable as he sat heavily in a chair feeling like a failure.

Laresa walked up to him and kissed him softly. She pulled off first one gauntlet and then the other. She knelt on the floor in front of him and stripped off his boots. She reached for the buckles on his cuirass and he grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing Laresa? Did you hear me?"

She looked up at him and he now saw tears in her eyes. "Ali, how could you handle it? How did you make it all the way here? I think if they had told me you had died I might not ever been able to leave this room again. Or maybe I would have gone straight to the Deep Roads so I could join you." Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now.

He pulled her up from the floor and kissed her again. Laresa climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He cupped her face in his hand, kissing her almost desperately. She kissed him back with just as much need, pulling on his neck and whimpering softly.

Alistair stood up with Laresa in his arms. He broke the kiss breathing harshly. "Where is the bed?"

She pointed into the bedroom and Alistair practically ran to it. Laresa giggled and was a little unsure on her feet when Alistair set her down. "Help me with this Laresa." He started working on his buckles again.

They both worked frantically, trying to remove his armor with shaky fingers. As soon as they removed their armor Laresa pulled her chemise off over her head. Alistair removed his gambeson, and Laresa helped him to remove his hose and smalls. As soon as he was naked Alistair grabbed her again and spun her around so her back was against the wall.

He peppered her with light kisses across her cheeks and eyelids. He stroked her hair and whispered "Thank the Maker you're alright, I would have been lost without you."

Alistair wanted to touch every inch of her. Wanted to reacquaint himself with every inch of her body, the contours of her face. He let his hands roam over her, needy and wanting, kissing all the skin he could reach. Laresa pulled him closer and touched her forehead to his, sighing softly, still sounding a little shaky.

Alistair kissed her again tentatively, as if he was afraid she would crumble beneath his hands and lips. He felt her heart beating against his chest, tattooing the reality of her life clearly. He wondered if she could feel his heart as well.

Laresa's lips parted beneath his and Alistair gasped in surprise before deepening the kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips, caressing her tongue with his own. He continued caressing her skin, still trying to prove to himself that she was there and whole.

He slid a hand down her shoulder, her arm and down to her hand. He stroked her hand gently and then continued roaming his hand over her. His fingers trailed over her thighs caressing and kneading her flesh. His fingers glided up her ribs and cupped her breast in his hand, squeezing gently.

Laresa moaned against his mouth and pressed herself tighter against Alistair's chest. He trailed kisses down the valley between her breasts. He closed his lips over a nipple enjoying the velvety texture of it. He slid his thumb around the other nipple in slow circles before lightly pinching it between his forefinger and thumb.

Laresa clutched to Alistair's back moaning in pleasure, rocking her hips against him. Alistair made a low groan in response, pushing his erection against her leg. His fingers roamed across her skin faster, moving to grip her hip tightly.

Laresa intensified her grip on Alistair's shoulders, breaking the skin. Alistair nipped Laresa's shoulder a little harder. He twined his fingers in her hair pulling her head back exposing her throat to be more fully explored.

He licked and nipped at her neck slipping his other hand between her legs. He caressed her through her damp small clothes. This time Laresa was the one gasping in surprise. He circled her clit slowly and trailed a finger up and down her wet slit. He stroked her through the thin fabric, a flimsy barrier between them.

Laresa reached down grabbing Alistair's wrist. She held his hand still as she ground herself against it. Alistair growled and pulled his wrist from her grasp. He nipped her shoulder roughly and slid his finger into her smalls and jerked sharply, ripping the cloth apart.

He dragged his finger up her wet slit and shuddered, the smell of her arousal lighting a fire in him. His voice was hoarse and low in her ear. "I need you, all of you, now." There was a tight ache in his chest where his fear and pain had dwelled for two long days and only she could banish it completely.

"Yes, please Alistair." She begged him, she wanted the crease in his brow gone and to feel him inside of her , branding them both.

He needed nothing further and picked her up, leaning against the wall and guided himself inside of her. He tried to be gentle and loving, tried to keep a slow and even pace but having been apart for so long and dealing with their own mortality made it impossible.

He kissed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth with as much force as he slide his erection into her over and over again. With one hand supporting her and her legs wrapped around him he pressed her into the stone with each thrust, trying to somehow get closer.

His hand was still tangled in her hair and he pressed her in closer, his lips and tongue savoring the taste and feel of her. Laresa was little better, clutching to his shoulder and back with one hand while the other roamed over his skin gripping him and trying to pull him closer.

When they pulled apart to breathe Alistair whispered, his voice ragged with emotion and need. "I love you; you are my life, my heart."

Laresa had no words, no way to express her gratitude for his love, and concern. No way of showing him what he truly meant to her. Instead she loved him with her body, meeting him need for need and thrust for thrust.

Alistair moved her, repositioning her body a little and Laresa shivered because the new angle gave her sweet friction on the sensitive spot within her. The licks of fire she had felt building slowly within her became a blazing inferno. It was not long before the inferno ignited a cascade of fireworks within her.

She yelled out Alistair's name with her release. Her inner muscles spasming around his length buried deep within her. All the muscles in her body tensed and she squeezed Alistair with her thighs as she came.

Alistair trailed kisses across her jaw and nipped at her earlobe. Laresa whimpered in her sensitive state as Alistair showed no signs of slowing. She held onto him shuddering as he stroked in and out of her over sensitized flesh. His breathing was harsh and his grip on her desperate as at last he came, her name on his lips, a chant, an affirmation of life.

The muscles in his legs were tired and he gently helped her back to her feet. They stood there for a few moments holding each other, and catching their breath. Alistair was not ready to let her go just yet.

Finally, Laresa pulled a little out of his grasp. "Ali?"

"Yes my love?"

"Weren't you looking for the bed?" She smiled at him, happy and content.

He grinned at her sheepishly, "Yeah, I think I was at some point."

"Well I'm exhausted and would love to sleep in my husband's arms for real for once instead of just dreaming about it." She turned and walked slowly to the bed.

Alistair slipped under the covers after her and pulled her close. She laid her head on his chest and felt his arm wrap around her. "I am so relieved that you are alive and safe." She smiled and they drifted off together, sleeping peacefully and without nightmares for the first time in months.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to all who read and review.


End file.
